Abstract

Older parents of learning disabled people are a neglected area of gerontology (Smith and Tobin 1993) and encounter difficulty from both a societal and service perspective. Such parents run the risk of double devaluation from society on account of their age and their association with learning disability. Wolf Wolfensberger wrote extensively on the concept of Social Role Valorisation in the 1980`s and 1990`s and describes how people are devalued using examples such as rejection by neighbours, alienation within the local community and a negative association with other devalued groups within society (Race 2002). Despite both national and international calls for older people to be treated with respect, dignity and have access to appropriate support and services (Burke et al. 2001), old age is commonly depicted as a time of negative physical and cognitive dysfunction and is therefore socially unfavorable in a society that values youth, beauty and power (Harris 1990).
As the number of older parents in this situation continues to rise (Department of Health 2001) it is likely that occupational therapists working in the fields of both gerontology and leaning disability will increasingly come into contact with this group of parents. The aim of this paper is to raise awareness of parents in this situation and for occupational therapists to consider ways that will facilitate social inclusion.